1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a dental apparatus for assisting dentists and technicians working with dental models for constructing prosthetic denture elements outside the patient's mouth. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved subassembly for interfacing with an articulator so as to provide for dental casts which may be readily assembled to and disassembled from an articulator with proper alignment of an upper dental cast to a lower dental cast and at the same time, provide for the repeated removal and replacement of the dental models from a tray assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With articulators used for supporting impressions of human jaws with artificial teeth and including a lower jaw model and an upper jaw model, it is important that they be capable of simulating the full range of occlusal and masticatory registrations among the patient population. As such, the lower jaw model and the upper jaw model are supported by the articulator to be positioned in a contiguous relationship to provide centric, lateral and protrusive movement relative to each other. This is for simulating a patient's bite. While there are a wide variety of shapes, sizes and arrangements of human jaws and teeth, configurations and occlusion patterns have a broad range among different patients. Nevertheless, the process of making jaw impressions for the fabrication of partial dentures, fix bridges and crowns by using jaw models in a dental laboratory requires that a precise registration and desired occlusal alignment be maintained. Therefore, it is necessary to have articulators that meet these requirements.
Articulators which provide such a wide range of registration and simplicity in use are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,786 entitled "Cast Dental Articulator System and Method", issued on Dec. 31, 1991 to Lars E. Callne. Likewise, another articulator which is further improved is disclosed in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 07/863,196, filed Apr. 3, 1992 for "Cast Dental Model Articulator" by Lars E. Callne.
Additionally, to further facilitate and simplify the procedures, there is a need for providing a subassembly wherein the models may be formed and then readily mountable to these articulators. Further, in providing any dentures, bridges, and/or crowns, the costs are of constant concern and it is desirable to provide subassemblies and processes for making such subassemblies which are economical and which lend themselves to be easily usable by technicians.